Pumpkin Sourdough Doughnuts

I hope you feel the same way about Fall that I do. It makes me want to bake and add more pumpkin to everything. That’s why pumpkin sourdough doughnuts were on my list. This season brings us bright and hearty colors as well as delicious ingredients to bake with

Soft, moist and delicious.

Ingredients

Sweet Stiff Sourdough Starter 

• 5g sourdough starter
• 30g water
• 5g sugar
• 60g bread flour

Dough

• 280g bread flour (100%)
• 60g stiff starter (23%)
• 75g milk (27%)
• 125g pumpkin pure (45%)
• 50g eggs (18%)
• 55g soft butter (20%)
• 30g sugar (11%)
• 5g salt (1.8%)
• 0.5g yeast (optional) to reduce sourness 
• 1tsp pumpkin spice ( or 1/2tsp cinnamon , 1/4 tsp nutmeg , 1/4 tsp ginger spice) optional

Maple Syrup Cinnamon Glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar 
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon 
• 1 tbs maple syrup 
• 1-2 tbs millk

Directions 

Day 1

Sweet Stiff Sourdough Starter 

• 10 pm add sugar to the water and whisk together until dissolved, add sourdough starter and flour, mix well, form a ball, place in a jar, cover with lid, let it sit at room temperature 74-78F until it increases in volume.
• In about 8-10 hours sweet stiff starter should double or more in volume.

Day 2

Dough

• 8 am mix starter, milk, pumpkin purée, egg, flour, sugar (let it autolyse for 30 minutes).

• During the autolyse period the flour becomes fully hydrated. This activates gluten development.
• 8.30 am mix the dough on low speed of your mixing machine for 2-3 minutes, or KitchenAid on speed 3 for 3-4 minutes until well incorporated.
• Add salt and mix for a couple more minutes. The dough should form a ball.
• Add soft butter, increase the speed, mix for 10-15 minutes until the dough comes up together. 
• 9 am cover and let it proof for 3- 4 hours at 76-80F/ 24-28C.

• During that time perform 2 stretches and folds.
• The dough should become slightly puffy.

• 12 pm transfer the dough to the fridge for cold fermentation for 8-10 hours.
• 10 pm remove the dough from the fridge.

• Roll the cold dough on the floured surface about 1 and 1/2 inches thick.
• Cut the doughnuts with ring mold or regular glass.
• Transfer each doughnut on single piece of parchment paper, this will help with transferring the proofed product later into the pot with oil.
• Cover the doughnuts, let them proof overnight on the countertop. Temperature should be 72-73F. 
• Next morning they should increase in size and become puffy.

Note : if it’s hot in your kitchen, better to put doughnuts in the fridge overnight, and make them proof next morning for 2-3 hours at 78-82F until they will become puffy and light.

Day 3

Morning

• If the doughnuts were proofing at room temperature, now they should be ready to be deep fried.
• Preheat the oil for about 30 minutes, and fry the doughnuts for 1-2 minutes on each side until golden brown.

• Then dip them into the glaze, or ice them the way you like them.

Enjoy your pumpkin sourdough doughnuts.

Pumpkin Sourdough Doughnuts

170kcal

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Prep 45 minutes mins

Cook 20 minutes mins

Overnight Sweet Stiff Starter Build 10 hours hrs

Total 23 hours hrs 35 minutes mins

Soft, moist, and pillowy, these brioche-style sourdough doughnuts feature real pumpkin purée and a sweet stiff sourdough starter build that minimizes sour acidity while maximizing rise. Fried until deep golden brown and dipped in a rich maple cinnamon glaze.

Servings 12 Doughnuts

Cuisine Sweet Sourdough / American Pastry

Ingredients

1x2x3x

Sweet Stiff Sourdough Starter (Night 1)

• ▢ 5 g Sourdough starter culture
• ▢ 30 g Water
• ▢ 5 g Sugar
• ▢ 60 g Bread flour

Main Dough (Day 2)

• ▢ 280 g Bread flour (100%)
• ▢ 60 g Sweet stiff sourdough starter (23% – from stage above)
• ▢ 75 g Milk (27%)
• ▢ 125 g Canned pumpkin purée (45%)
• ▢ 50 g Large egg (18% – 1 large egg)
• ▢ 55 g Softened butter (20%)
• ▢ 30 g Sugar (11%)
• ▢ 5 g Salt (1.8%)
• ▢ 0.5 g Instant yeast optional, to reduce sourness
• ▢ 1 tsp Pumpkin spice mixture (or ½ tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp nutmeg, ¼ tsp ginger)

Maple Syrup Cinnamon Glaze

• ▢ 1 cup Powdered sugar
• ▢ ½ tsp Cinnamon
• ▢ 1 tbsp Maple syrup
• ▢ 1–2 tbsp Milk

Equipment

• ▢
  Kitchen Scale
• ▢
  Stand Mixer (fitted with dough hook attachment)
• ▢
  Round Doughnut Cutter (or a regular glass)
• ▢
  Deep Fryer or Heavy Dutch Oven
• ▢
  Slotted Spoon or Spider Strainer
• ▢
  Parchment Paper (cut into individual squares)

Method

Prevent Sleep ModePrevent Sleep Mode

Night 1: Build Sweet Stiff Starter (10:00 PM)

1. In a small glass jar, dissolve 5 g sugar in 30 g water. Add 5 g sourdough starter and 60 g bread flour.
2. Mix well, form into a firm dough ball, place in a jar, and cover with a lid.
3. Let sit at room temperature 74–78°F (23–26°C) for 8–10 hours until doubled or more in volume.

Day 2: Autolyse, Mixing & Cold Retard

1. Autolyse (8:00 AM): In stand mixer bowl, combine 60 g active sweet stiff starter, 75 g milk, 125 g pumpkin purée, 50 g egg (1 egg), 30 g sugar, 280 g bread flour, and optional pumpkin spice/yeast. Cover and let autolyse for 30 minutes.
2. Kneading (8:30 AM): Knead dough on low speed (or KitchenAid speed 3) for 3–4 minutes. Add 5 g salt and mix for 2 more minutes until a ball forms.
3. Butter Incorporation: Add 55 g softened butter, increase speed, and mix for 10–15 minutes until dough comes together cleanly.
4. Bulk Fermentation (9:00 AM): Cover and let proof for 3–4 hours at 76–80°F (24–28°C), performing 2 stretch-and-folds during the first 2 hours until slightly puffy.
5. Cold Retard (12:00 PM): Transfer dough to refrigerator for 8–10 hours of cold fermentation.

Shaping & Overnight Counter Proof

1. Shaping (10:00 PM): Remove chilled dough from fridge. Roll onto a floured surface to 1½ inches thick. Cut doughnuts using a ring mold or glass.
2. Transfer each doughnut onto an individual square of parchment paper (for easy transferring into hot oil later).
3. Cover loosely and proof overnight on the counter at 72–73°F (22–23°C) until expanded and puffy.
If your kitchen is hot, proof in fridge overnight and let rise for 2–3 hours at 78–82°F the next morning.

Day 3: Frying & Glazing

1. Preheat frying oil for 30 minutes.
2. Gently lower proofed doughnuts on their parchment squares into hot oil and fry for 1–2 minutes per side until golden brown.
3. Whisk 1 cup powdered sugar, ½ tsp cinnamon, 1 tbsp maple syrup, and 1–2 tbsp milk until smooth. Dip warm doughnuts into glaze and serve!

Nutrition

Calories170kcalCarbohydrates37gProtein4gFat5gSaturated Fat3gPolyunsaturated Fat0.4gMonounsaturated Fat1gTrans Fat0.2gCholesterol26mgSodium201mgPotassium72mgFiber1gSugar5gVitamin A1771IUVitamin C0.4mgCalcium22mgIron0.5mg

Notes

• The Low-Acid Sweet Stiff Starter Secret: Enriched pastry doughs like doughnuts taste best without a sharp, sour vinegary profile. This recipe utilizes a sweet stiff starter build—which caps the hydration at 50% and introduces a touch of sugar—to specifically favor yeast production over acid-producing bacteria. This gives your pumpkin doughnuts a phenomenal rise and a beautifully mild, creamy, brioche-like flavor asset.
• Mastering Temperature Controls for Deep Frying: Maintaining your frying oil at a strict 350°F (177°C) is the single most critical factor for doughnut success. If your oil drops below 335°F (168°C), the enriched dough will absorb the liquid fat like a sponge, turning your pastries heavy and greasy. If the oil spikes past 365°F (185°C), the exterior skin will burn rapidly while leaving the real pumpkin core wet and raw. Check your thermometer constantly between batches.
• Managing the Delicate Tray Transfer: Risen sourdough doughnuts are incredibly fragile and full of expanding gas bubbles right before the fry. Touching or pulling on them aggressively with your bare hands can deflate them instantly, causing them to fry up flat. To move them safely, cut your parchment paper into individual squares beneath each doughnut ahead of time; you can then pick up the paper square and drop the doughnut smoothly into the hot oil without touching the dough skin.

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